Men's Track Events

100m

This was probably one of the most anticipated events in the championships. World record holder and defending champion Usain Bolt was seventh in the season's best list at 9.88 seconds with countryman Asafa Powell in the lead at 9.78 seconds. Tyson Gay, who had beaten Bolt last year, had the season's second best time at 9.79 seconds. Gay got injured at the U.S. Championships and days prior to the opening, Powell pulled out.

The 100m then should have been a cakewalk for Bolt. He was on the front of the daily program. In the first round heats, Bahamian Adrian Griffith was the first to suffer from the new false start rule which had been in effect from January of 2010. He was out after one false start. In the semi-final, it was Dwain Chambers of Great Britain who had served a four years ban from competition due to a doping offense. He had run second to Bolt in the first round.

Justin Gatlin, the Athens Olympic Champion and Helsinki Champion was back after serving a four-year suspension for doping. He ran 10.31 seconds for second in the first round and 10.23 seconds for fourth in the second, not advancing to the final. Jamaican Yohan Blake won the first semi-final in a season's best of 9.95 seconds, Usain Bolt the second in 10.05 seconds, and Kim Collins, the 2003 Champion the third in 10.08 seconds.

The unimaginable happened in the final. Usain Bolt, who everybody said did not have to worry about his start, false started. It was clear and Bolt took off his jersey as he ran down the straight away. This caused numerous people to question the existence of the no fault start rule. The question now was who will win?Was it going to be Jamaica's Nesta Carter, France's Christophe Lemaitre or Jamaica's Blake?

Blake was the clear winner at 9.92 seconds, a season's best with the USA's Walter Dix in second in 10.08 seconds. The old reliable Kim Collins, the 2003 Champion and 2007 bronze medalist, at 35 years of age, finished with the bronze medal, in 10.09 seconds.

At 21, Frenchman Lemaitre finished in fourth place with a 10.19 seconds clocking, Daniel Bailey from Antigua and Barbuda finished fifth in 10.26 seconds, France's Jimmy Vicaut at age 19 finished in fifth place in 10.26 seconds, and Jamaica's Nesta Carter a surprising seventh in 10.95 seconds. Blake became the second Jamaican to win the 100m at the World Championships.

200m

After the false start by Bolt in the 100 meters(m)everybody was waiting to see how he would do in the 200m, his favorite event. The first round and semi-final were held on Thursday, September 2.

Bolt lead the first round qualifiers in 20.30 seconds. The USA's Walter Dix had the second best first round time at 20.42 seconds with Bahamian Michael Mathieu running the third best first round time, running in Bolt's heat, in 20.46 seconds. France's Christopher Lemaitre had the best time in the semi-finals, running 20.17 seconds, a season's best. Bolt ran 20.31 seconds and Dix ran 20.37 seconds.

In the final, Panamanian Alonso Edward, the silver medalist from Berlin, did not finish. Bolt won with an impressive clocking of 19.40 seconds, the best time in the world this season, and the fourth best time ever, behind only Bolt's world record of 19.19 seconds, Bolt's 19.30 seconds at the Beijing Olympics, and Michael Johnson's former world record of 19.32 seconds.

There was no slowing down or clowning at the tape. Dix finished in second place with a 19.70 seconds season's best and France's Lemaitre finished with the bronze medal in a French National record of 19.80 seconds.

400m

There was no clear favorite in this event. Grenadian Kirani James, 19 at the time, ran 44.61 seconds in London in August to set the world's leading time. In that race the defending champion LaShawn Merritt finished second after not running for nearly two years. His time then was 44.74 seconds.

There were five first round heats and Merritt ran 44.35 seconds in his first round heat, the fastest time ran in history for a first round in either the Olympics or World Championships. Rondell Bartholomew of Grenada ran 44.82 seconds in his first round heat. Trinidad and Tobago's Reny Quow, the Berlin bronze medalist, ran 44.84 seconds in that heat.

Jamaica's Jermaine Gonzales won the second heat in 45.12 seconds. Demetrius Pinder from The Bahamas finished fourth in 45.53 seconds, advancing to the semi-final. James won the fourth heat in 45.12 seconds. In that heat, The Bahamas'Ramon Miller ran a season's best of 45.31 seconds to advance to the semi-final.

The Bahamas'Chris Brown won the fifth heat in 45.29 seconds. In that heat was South African,'The Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius, who ran 45.39 seconds. Pistorius had won a decision by the IAAF to allow him to participate as a double prosthetic.

In the semi-final, Merritt continued his speedy running, running 44.76 seconds for the win in the first semi-final heat. James ran 45.20 seconds to win the second heat and Jamaica's Gonzales ran 44.99 seconds to win the third heat of the semi-finals.

In the final were Merritt from the USA, James and Bartholomew from Grenada, Gonzales from Jamaica, the Borlee twins, Kevin and Jonathan, from Belgium, Tabarie Henry from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Femi Ogunode from Qatar.

This was a race to watch as the teenager from Grenada, who had won the IAAF World Youth, and Junior Championships, ran down the defending champion Merritt to win in 44.60 seconds, an improvement of one, one hundredth of a second of his personal best. After running the fast time in the preliminary rounds, it seemed that Merritt was unable to respond to the finishing surge of James. Merritt was three one hundredths of a second behind in 44.63 seconds and Belgium's Kevin Borlee finished in third in 44.90 seconds.

Gonzales was fourth in 44.99 seconds, the identical time he ran in the semi-final. Jonathan Borlee placed fifth in 45.07 seconds with Grenada's Bartholomew sixth in 45.45 seconds, U.S. Virgin Island's Henry seventh in 45.55 seconds and Ogunode of Qatar eighth, also in 45.55 seconds.

Henry had placed fourth in Berlin in 45.42 seconds. Bahamian Chris Brown just missed the final with a 45.54 seconds clocking, just behind Henry who ran 45.53 seconds to make the final. This was the first time since Paris in 2003 that Brown failed to make the final. Demetrius Pinder finished seventh in his semi-final heat in 45.87 seconds and Ramon Miller fifth in his semi-final heat in 45.88 seconds.

Also from the region, William Collazo from Cuba and Erison Hurtault from Dominica finished seventh and eighth in the first semi-final heat in times of 46.13 seconds and 46.41 seconds respectively. In the second semi-final heat, Costa Rica's Nery Brenes finished fifth in 45.93 seconds and Jamaica's Riker Hylton finished eighth in 46.99 seconds.

800m

At the age of 22, Kenya's David Rudisha set a new world record of 1:41.01 nearly a year prior on August 29, in Rieti, Italy. This season he had the best time of 1:42.61. He also had the best semi-final time of 1:44.20, in winning the third semi-final heat.

Ethiopian Mohammed Aman had the second fastest semi-final time of 1:44.57, a national record. Marcin Lewandowski from Poland ran 1:44.60, a season's best. Sudan's Abubaker Kaki, one of Rudisha's main rivals, ran 1:44.62 for third place in the first semi-final. In the final, Rudisha captured the gold medal in 1:43.91 over Kaki's 1:44.41. The usual fast finishing Russian Yuriy Borzakovskiy, Athens Olympic Champion, was able to secure third place in 1:44.49.

Poland's Marcin Lewandowskiy finished in fourth place in 1:44.80. The USA's Nick Symmonds finished in fifth place in 1:45.12. Poland's Adam Kszczot finished in sixth place in 1:45.25. Kenya's Alfred Kirwa Yego, the Berlin silver medalist, finished in seventh place in 1:45.83 and Ethiopia's Mohammed Aman placed eighth in 1:45.93.

1,500m

The action heated up in the semi-final where Kenyan Abel Kiprop won the second heat in 3:36.75 with Algerian Tarek Boukensa following him in 3:36.84, Morocco's Mohamed Moustaoui in 3:36.87, Spain's Manuel Olmedo fourth in 3:36.91 and Venezuela's Eduar Villanueva fifth in 3:36.96, a national record.

The first semi-final was won by Matthew Centrowitz of the USA, 10 seconds slower than the second heat in 3:46.66. Centrowitz is the son of former distance star Matt Centrowitz of the USA. In that heat was Kenya's Silas Kiplagat, the world leader at 3:30.47, who finished third in 3:46.75, France's Mehdi Bala, the silver medalist from 2003, who finished fourth in 3:46.87, and the Berlin Champion Yusef Saad Kamel of Bahrain, who failed to reach the final with a 3:47.18 clocking.

The final saw the Beijing Olympic Champion, Kenya's Kiprop, win in 3:35.69 to Kiplagat's 3:35.92. The USA's Matt Centrowitz won the bronze medal in a time of 3:36.08. Centrowitz is the only American athlete to win a medal in the 1,500m in the championships other than the former Kenyan Bernard Lagat in Osaka and Berlin. Matt's father Matthew was a two-time Olympian. Eduar Villaneuva of Venezuela, the only athlete from the Central American and Caribbean region in the competition to compete in the 1,500m, finished eighth in the final in 3:37.31.

5000m

Britain's Mohammed Farah had the world's leading time this season at 12:53.11, less than a half second under Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya's championship record set in Paris in 2003. Farah had been anticipated to win the 10,000m but lost to Ethiopia's Ibrahim Jelan.

Also in the race were Bernard Lagat, who had won the event in Osaka and finished second in Berlin, and the championships record holder Kipchoge. Farah was a little bit more experienced in the 5,000m as he was able to defeat Lagat by 28 seconds to win. Ethiopia's Dejen Gebremeskel finished in third, another 28 seconds behind Lagat in 13:23.92. No other athletes from the Americas made the final.

10,000m

Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, world and championships record holder, and four-time winner of the 10,000m at the age of 29 was not at the top of his game in Daegu.

Mohamed Farah, born in Mogadishu and representing Great Britain had the world's leading time of 26:46.57, at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon in June. He had won this event in last year's European Championships in Barcelona and seemed to be the person who would become World Champion. On the second day of the competition, little known Ethiopian Ibrahim Jeilan defeated Farah with a run of 27:13.81. Bekele dropped out of the race. Ethiopian Imane Merga had the second best time in the world at 26:48.35. He finished in third place in 27.19.14. Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese, the silver medalist from Berlin, finished in fourth place in 27:22.57.

Marathon

Kenya's Abel Kirui set a new championships record of 2:06.54 in Berlin two years prior. Kirui was able to win the Daegu event in 2:07.38, a season's best. Kenya's Vincent Kipruto finished in second place in a time of 2:10.06. Ethiopia's Feyisa Lilesa won the bronze medal in a season's best of 2:10.32.

3,000m Steeplechase

Ezekiel Kemboi of Kenya was the defending champion who set a new championship record of 8:00.43 in Berlin. His teammate Brimin Kiprop Kipruto had the world's leading time at 7:56.34, done in Monaco in July. Kemboi won the event in 8:14.85 with Kipruto second in 8:16.05. France's M. Mekhissi-Bernard ran 8:16.09 for the bronze medal. Ion Luchianov from Moldova finished in eighth place in 8:19.69, a season's best.

110m Hurdles

The USA's David Oliver had the world leading time of 12.94 seconds, which he did in June at the Prefontaine Classic. In the first round, Jason Richardson, the 110m and 400m Hurdles Champion in the 2003 World Youth Championships had the best time of 13.19 seconds.

Former world record holder Xiang Liu ran 13.20 seconds to win his heat. David Oliver ran 13.27 seconds to capture his heat and Aries Merritt from the USA won his heat in 13.36 seconds. World record holder Dayron Robles settled for second in 13.42 seconds in that race. The semi-final saw Xiang Liu capture the first heat in 13.31 seconds. Richardson was far ahead in his semi-final heat in 13.11 seconds. David Oliver ran 13.40 seconds for second in that heat.

In the final, Robles seemed to win but a protest was made by the Chinese federation which accused Robles of interfering with Xiang Liu with his right arm. China won the protest and Robles was disqualified giving Richardson the gold medal and Liu the silver medal. Richardson clocked 13.16 seconds and Liu clocked 13.27 seconds.

Great Britain's Andrew Turner won the bronze medal with a 13.44 seconds performance. Oliver finished in fourth place, also in 13.44 seconds with Aries Merritt in fifth in 13.67 seconds. Jamaica's Dwight Thomas did not finish the event.

400m Hurdles

South Africa's L.J. Van Zyl had been on a tear this season clocking the world leading time of 47.66 seconds on February 25 in Pretoria, and May 31, in Ostrava. Three former champions, Felix Sanchez, Bershawn Jackson, Kerron Clement, and double Olympic Champion Angelo Taylor were in the competition. Great Britain's David Green had the best time of 48.52 seconds in the first round.

In the semi-final round, Puerto Rico's Javier Culson, the silver medalist from Berlin had the best time, winning the first heat in 48.52 seconds. Great Britain's David Greene won the second heat in 48.62 seconds and Bershawn Jackson won the third heat in 48.80 seconds.

The 2007 and 2009 champion Kerron Clement finished eighth in Greene's heat in 52.11 seconds and did not advance to the final. Also not advancing to the final from the Central American and Caribbean region were Jehu Gordon from Trinidad&Tobago who will turn 20 in December and finished fourth in Berlin, Joseph Robertson, Leford Green and Isa Phillips from Jamaica, and Omar Cesneros from Cuba.

In the final on September 1, David Greene won in 48.26 seconds, Javier Culson finished second as he did in Berlin, this time in 48.44

seconds, and L.J. Van Zyl won the bronze medal in 48.80 seconds. Two-time champion Felix Sanchez finished in fourth place in 48.87 seconds.

Decathlon

The USA finished one and two in this event. The defending champion Trey Hardee captured the event with 8,607 points, down from 8,790 in Berlin. Ashton Eaton was second with 8,505 points just four points ahead of Cuba's Leonel Suarez, who finished second in Berlin. Jamaica's Maurice Smith, the 2007 Osaka silver medalist, was unable to continue after seven events. Cuba's Yordani Garcia stopped after six events.

20k Race Walk

Russia won both gold and silver medals in this event with Valeriy Borchin winning in 1:19.56 and Vladimir Kanaykin winning the silver medal in 1:20.27. Kanaykin holds the world record at 1:17.16 and Ecuador's Jefferson Perez holds the Championship record at 1:17.21. Colombia won the bronze medal with Luis Fernando Lopez finishing in 1:20.38, a season's best. Other athletes from the Central American and Caribbean region finishing in the top 20 were Guatemela's Erick Barrando in 1:22.08, Mexico's Eder Sanchez 15th in 1:23.05, Colombia's James Rendon, 19th in a season's best of 1:24.08, and Mexico's Moracio Nava, 20th in 1:24.15.

50k Race Walk

Just like the 20k, Russia won the gold and silver medals, with Sergey Bakulin winning the gold medal in 3:41.24, and Denis Nizhegorodov winning the silver medal in 3:42.45, a season's best. Australia won the bronze medal with Jared Talent, who also clocked a season's best of 3:43.36. Ecuador's Andre's Chocho finished in 11th place in a season's best of 3:49.32. In the top 20 were these athletes from the Central American and Caribbean region-Edgar Hernandez of Mexico in 18th in a season's best of 3:54.46 and Jose Leyver of Mexico, 19th in 3:55.37.

4x100m Relay

This event was moved to the end of the competition.

There was a question as to whether Jamaica would have run former world record holder Asafa Powell who had pulled out of the men's 100m due to injury. Jamaica decided against that and with Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, World Champion Yohan Blake and Dexter Lee running the semi-final heats, they finished second to Trinidad&Tobago in 38.07 seconds. The team of Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Aaron Armstrong and Richard Thompson, won the second semi-final heat in 37.91 seconds. St. Kitts&Nevis with bronze medalist Kim Collins on the second leg finished in third with a national record of 38.47 seconds.

The USA with Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin, Maurice Mitchell, and Travis Padgett, won the first semi-final heat in 37.79 seconds. France finished second to them in 38.38 seconds. Great Britain and Northern Ireland won the third heat in 38.29 seconds, with Poland in second in 38.37 seconds and Italy in 38.41 seconds.

Everybody was anticipating that Jamaica would win with Bolt in the line-up. After all, they had the world record of 37.10 seconds set in Beijing in 2008 and the championships record of 37.31 seconds established in Berlin two years ago. In the final, Darvis Patton of the United States, running on the third leg, hit Brit runner Marlon Devonish, who rolled over into the lane of Trinidad&Tobago.

The United States and Great Britain and Northern Ireland were unable to finish. It was now left to Jamaica and France. Replacing young Dexter Lee with Bolt, Jamaica did what some may call the impossible. They set a new world record of 37.04 seconds to win, more than a second ahead of France's 38.20 seconds.

Trinidad&Tobago were affected by Patton's actions and finished in sixth place in 39.01 seconds. This was a fitting end to and only world record in the Daegu World Championships. For this record the Jamaican team received$100,000.

The question now is:"Will Jamaica break 37 seconds at the London Olympics?"

4x400m Relay

There were two rounds of the Men's 4x400m Relay. Two heats were run on September 1. The first three finishers in each heat and the other two fastest times would qualify for the final.

The United States won the first of the two heats with Greg Nixon, Jamaal Torrance, Michael Berry, and LaShawn Merritt in 2:58.02. Jamaica finished in second place in 2:59.13. South Africa finished third in 2:59.21. Great Britain and Northern Ireland finished in fourth in 3:00.38 and Germany in fifth in 3:00.48.

The Bahamas competed in the second heat with Ramon Miller on starting leg, former World Champion Avard Moncur on the second leg, Andrae Williams on the third leg, and LaToy Williams on the anchor leg. They either had to finish in the top three or run better than Great Britain and Northern Ireland or Germany. If they did not make the top three they had to run better than 3:00.48, the time that Germany did.

That was not to be as Belgium won the heat in 3:00.78, Russia finished in second in 3:00.81, Kenya finished in third in 3:00.97 and The Bahamas finished in fourth in 3:01.54 below their season's best of 3:01.33 and their national record of 2:57.32. The Bahamas was out of the final, having not run national record holder Chris Brown nor National Champion Demetrius Pinder in the first round.

In the final, the USA team of Greg Nixon, Bershawn Jackson, Angelo Taylor, and LaShawn Merritt won in 2:59.31. South Africa without Oscar Pistorius finished in second place in 2:59.87, and Jamaica with Allodin Fothergill, Jermaine Gonzales, Ryker Hylton, and Leford Green, won the bronze medal with a 3:00.10 clocking.

We hope you enjoyed this and the previous issues of Daegu World Championships re-visited. We all look forward to the next edition, Moscow 2013.

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